Charles a



v(N0 Model.)

G. A. LIEB.

NON-SPARKING CLAMP FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

No. 450,163. Patented Apr. 14,1891.

' v VEIT'DH 15% I ffo m 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. LIEB, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

NON-SPARKING CLAMP FOR TROLLEY-WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,163, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed November 28, 1 890. Serial No. 372,789. (No model.) i

To all 1072,0112, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. LIEB, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Non Sparking Clamp for Electric ires, of which the fol- 7 be maintained at all times between the trolley-wire and the trolley wheel or slide, irrespective of jumping or movement of either one of them vertically or horizontally, thus sparking will be prevented.

My invention may be practiced in a variety of ways, some of which I will .illustrate and describe.

Figure 1 illustrates an elevation of one form of the invention, showing a chain as the flexible current-conveyer. Fig. 2 illustrates an elevation of the same, showing an elastic spring as the current-conveyer. Fig. 3 illustrates a side view, partly in elevation, showing also a trolley-wheel in longitudinal section, of another form of the invention, in which I employ two flexible springs as the current-conveyers. Fig. 4 illustrates a front elevation of the invention as applied to clamps invented by me and used for holding the wire, the currentconveyers being springs which are applied to the thumb-screw bolts of the clamps.

A, Fig. 1, is the span-wire.

B is a bell-insulator. It may be of any suitable construction.

O is the connection piece or clamp to which the trolley-wire D is attached. I make arms E E on the ends of the piece 0, to which I attach a section of chain F, which hangs slack below and in about the same vertical line with the trolley-wire. The chain may be attached to the ends of the piece 0 direct, instead of to projections or arms E E; but I prefer to employ them, because the connection of the chain to the piece 0 is then elevated out of the way of the trolley wheel or slide.

The operation of the device is as follows: The trolley wheel or slide in its movement along the trolley-wire first comes in contact with the flexible electrical conveyer through which the current is established to the trolley. It then, and not till then, hits the end of the piece 0, and the vertical or other movement or jumping, so called, of the .wire and trolley which occasions sparking occurs. The slack, however, of the chain will lie always in contact with the groove in the trolley, there being, of course, so much slack given to the chain that it will not during the movements apart of the said devices at any time leave the trolley until it has passed along over or beyond the piece 0 and the equilibrium has become again established. Thus sparking is prevented.

I do not show in the drawings the amount of slack in the chain and spring in Fig. 2,

which will ordinarily be desired, although that shown will be suflicient under some circum-' stances. It may be greater or less, as desired. In Fig. 2 I show an equivalent construction, in which, however, I employ a flexible spring G in the place of the chain. Its ends are fastened to the arms E E on the piece 0, but may be attached at such other part or place, as desired. When the trolleycomes in contact with it before it strikes the piece 0, it is pressed upwardly toward the piece 0, and its resiliency holds it at all times in contact with the trolley, thus maintaining the current.

In Fig. 3 I show two separate springs I I, one attached at either end of the piece 0 to thearmsE E, orelsewhere, if preferred. These springs depend vertically from the piece 0 in springs when relieved from the pressure of the trolley immediately assume their normal downwardly-projecting position. On the reverse movement of the trolley the direction of deflection of the springs is reversed.

Under certain constructions it will not be necessary to have the springs of such length that there will be continuous contact with one of them and the trolley until the other takes up the contact. Shorter springs will in many instances overcome the sparking, as they will supply the current while the trolley is entering on the clamp.

In Fig. 4 I show how springs substantially like those used in Fig. 3 may be conveniently applied to clamps used to hold the trolleywire. J J are the clamps. L is the end of the eycbolt or like device of the bell-insulator. M is an umbrella. N is the crossbolt by which. the clamps are attached to the eyebolt. O are thumb-nuts on the ends of screw-bolts P, one of which is at each end of the clamps whereby they are closed upon the wire D. Q Q are my two current-conveying springs. They are or maybe conveniently attached to the clamps by being wound reversely around the screw-bolt P, one of them having a left and the other a right'hand presentation, so as to act substantially in the manner set forth and described in connection with Fig. 3.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction shown, nor to the features shown as they are constructed and operated, because it will be apparent to those who are skilled in this art that many alterations may be made therein and still the essentials of my invention be employed. The flexible current-conveyer may be attached at other points than those illustrated by me, all that is essential being that it shall be so placed as to make connection with the trolley while it is passing the supports for the wire.

It will be observed by those who are familiar with this art that my device is specially useful in switches, turnouts, and like places where sparking is specially apt to occur.

I claim- 1. In an electric-railway system, the combination of a holder for trolley-wires, a flexible current-conveying device adjacent to the said holder and in electrical connection with the wire, and a trolley or contactwhich moves with the car and in contact with the trolleywire, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electric-railway system, the combination of a holder for the trolley-wire, a flexible current-conveying device attached to the said holder and in electricalconnection there- ,with, and a trolley or contact which moves with the car and in contact with the trolleywire, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electric-railway system the combination of a holder for the trolley-wire, a flexible current-conveying device attached to the said holder at such places as that the points of attachment do not come in contact with the trolley, substantially as set forth.

at. The combination of a trolley-wire, supports for the same, a trolley or contact which moves upon the trolley-Wire, and a downwardly-hanging flexible current-conveying device at the trolley-wire supports only, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 25th day of November, A. D. 1890.

CHARLES A. LIEB. \Vitnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, FREDERICK SMITH. 

